A mother's love
by Carlykinz
Summary: What if Joy Scroggs didn't have just a son she had a daughter called Maddie? but, she never told her girl-friends but one day after a fatal accident Maddie Scroggs is sent to live with her mother in Cleveland and this comes to a bit of a shock to Joy, Melanie and Victoria. Maddie doesn't make Joy's life easy the moment she arrives on her door step. Maddie Scroggs my OC. please R&R.
1. Chapter 1

A/N : this is my first ever Hot in Cleveland fan fiction and so I hope you will like it. I am from the UK like Jane Leeves herself, which is pretty cool. Well anyway, I am in no way connected to any of the characters/ actors of this great show. The only thing I own is the story and My OC Maddie Scroggs.

In this story, Joy Scroggs didn't just have a son she also had a daughter a few years later but she gave her mother custody of her daughter wanting to give Maddie the best start in life knowing her mother was going to be looking after her. Owen in this story is only 16 and yes I know he really is older than that but this story is different to the show. Well I think I covered some of it and if you want to know more then please feel to PM me and I will tell you more.

This will be the only chapter until I get a least three reviews and pretty please be kind with your reviews as I am not a very confident writer, many thanks.

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England December 12th:

_**You do not realise how something is so precious until it is cruelly taken away from you in a blink of an eye. That is how I Maddie Scroggs 12 years old lost someone precious to me:**_

The snow began to fall slowly and silently to the ground covering everything in a thick white layer covering everything in its tracks leaving nothing but a pure white wonderland. I looked out my bedroom window watching the snow lay feeling the excitement that Christmas was just round the corner. I was snapped out of my little daydream when I heard my grandmother calling me.

"Maddie Scroggs for the last time, hurry up you will be late for school" gran called out to me from the front door.

"I'm coming, hang on" I yelled back quickly grabbing my school bag and came rushing down stairs.

"Maddie, what do you do up there darling?" gran said shutting the front door behind her and walked to the car.

We got in to the car and turned the heating on full blast only to hear myself squeal as the cold blast of the fresh air blows right in my face making me close my eyes. I start laughing which makes grandmother laugh.

"Stop it, it wasn't funny, it was freezing," I say trying to contain my laughter I playfully hit grandmother on the arm. We pull out of the driveway taking the main road I watch as the world flashes me by.

Grandmother notices that I am rather quiet "Are you alright Maddie sweetheart?" Grandmother asked glancing at me and I smiled sweetly at her before I went back to looking out the window.

"Come on darling you can tell me"

"Promise you won't get mad because every time I tell you we end up arguing"

"I promise, now what is it?"

"I have been thinking about mom... again like I always do this time of year, It's always the same I think about mum coming over and spending time with me and giving me presents and we have a great family Christmas, me , you ,mum and Owen"

"Oh Maddie darling, you do know that's not going to happen don't you?" I nod as I look out the window feeling the single tear slip down my cheek. I quickly brush away the single tear that slipped down my cheek.

We take one of the small quiet side streets knowing that there would not be many people around in this weather. Grandmother checked to make sure there was not anything behind us before she brought the car to a slow stop causing me to glance round confused as to why she stopped the car.

"Grandmother, what are you doing? Why have you stopped the car?" I say as I look around at the quiet street then back at Grandmother with a confused look on my face but she just shrugged it off.

Grandmother unclipped her seat belt and moved closer to me placing her hands on my shoulders.

"Look at me, Maddie look at me your mother loves you very much and I don't want you to ever think she doesn't and yes you will see her and spend your Christmases with her like you dream about but, it won't be anytime soon"

"I know, I love mom but. Why hasn't she come to see me or even phone me at all and she knows I am alive"

"She has her reasons sweetheart but, when she is ready she will be the mother to you that you dream about" grandmother looked at me seeing tears falling silently down my cheeks so Grandmother reached over and comforted me And that is the last thing I remember before I called out my grandmothers name and then everything faded to black. A car came flying down the road and smashed right in to the back of us sending us skidding down the icy road where we hit a tree full force sending Grandmother crashing through the wind screen and land on the bonnet of the smoky car unconscious covered in her own blood.

_**Like I said you don't realise how precious something is until it is cruelly taken away from you in a blink of an eye. It was mean to be a normal day but in that one second was all it took, that was the day I lost something precious to me.**_


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I would like to point out that I am not in the medical profession so I have done my best and I do hope that it all makes sense. Please review, this story will get better as It goes on I promise.

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As Maddie and Philippa lay unconscious in the Car, they managed to get Philippa out first. As Maddie lay in the back of the ambulance with a young paramedic taking Philippa with her and the other paramedics took Maddie in the second ambulance. The team back at the hospital were preparing for their arrivals knowing it was a young girl and her grandmother, which made them panic knowing how young the girl was. They were only a few minutes away when the first ambulance pulled up and the paramedics jumped out of the ambulance and wheeled Philippa out carefully not taking their eyes of her the whole time.

The ED doctor in charge rushed over with a ready assembled team of nurses, they rushed over to Philippa and helped the medics to wheel Philippa into the ED.

"Ok, we have a Jane Doe around about 50 years old, Involved in a RTC with major head trauma, her GCS has been 4 throughout and unresponsive and her BP is 100/80. She's had 100mils of saline at scene," the young woman medic said to the team looking down at Philippa who was unconscious.

"thank you guys , ok Nurse Andrews arrange a head CT right away, full bloods LFTS, Us and Es" nurse Andrews nodded as she rushed off to grab needle whilst nurse Kennedy phoned CT and booked Philippa in straight away. Dr Spears began to check Philippa over thoroughly to make sure they had not missed anything major

A few minutes later, the second ambulance arrived with an unconscious Maddie on the next trolley and just like her Grandmother, she was also unresponsive.

The second Team rushed over to Maddie along with a paediatric Dr and paediatric nurses because Maddie was a minor.

"Young Jane Doe Name and Age not known ,also in major RTC with the other Lady possible relation, possible right radius and minor concussion GCS 7 drifting in and out of conscious. BP 38/70, he's had 10 mils of morphine at scene along with 100 mil of saline" they wheeled Maddie into the emergency room next to Philippa and they began their work on Maddie. Dr Nichols shone a light into Maddie's eye and luckily, she was responding to the light, which was a good sign

A few minutes later they wheeled Philippa to CT where they found out she had a massive amount of swelling on the brain which will be monitored but only thing they could do to help her pain was to put Philippa into a drug induce coma to try and reduce the swelling on the brain. Dr Spears intubated Philippa before she administered the drug, which would keep her in drug, induce coma. Nurse Andrews handed Dr Spears the needle and she administered the drug into Philippa's IV.

Mean while Maddie now was on the children's intensive care unit being monitored by special paediatric Nurses who were specially trained for this. Maddie's vital signs were getting stronger by the hour, which, pleased everyone on that ward knowing she was out of the dangerous part, and slowly making a good recovery.

Later on that night Maddie and Philippa were monitored closely with Maddie also being in ICU with the curtains drawn round as she slept looking peaceful but her body told another story with cuts and bruises on her face and the rest of her body and this told the world she was not at peace she had been through a major trauma and was slowly recovering but it was going to take a lot of time.

The next morning Maddie began to stir as she slowly opened her eyes but blinked as her eyes adjusted to the bright lights of the hospital. There was an all too familiar antiseptic smell that she knew and she knew instantly where she was, and this brought back the memory of her grandmother hugging tight and then feeling a hard shove behind her before it all went dark. Maddie glanced round the room seeing that she was on some sort of children's ward wired up to machines that monitored her every heartbeat and her pulse. She tried to move but her arm was too painful she glanced down to see that her arm was in a sling with a temporary cast.

Nurse Miller walked into Maddie's room to check her Observations to see Maddie was wide-awake staring at the ceiling. The more Nurse Miller looked at Maddie she notice she was covered in even more bruises that matured over night.

"Hi sweetie, I'm Nurse Miller, I helped treat you when you were brought in yesterday, what's your name sweet?" she said smiling as she grabbed Maddie's notes and read them briefly.

"Maddie Scroggs" Maddie said sounding scared and nervous.

"Where's my Grandmother, is she alright?" Maddie asked getting agitated and Nurse Miller knew this question was coming and she prepared herself and the rest of the staff in case she was not there to tell Maddie herself.

"Maddie, listen your Grandmother... She was severely injured in the accident and she has swelling on her brain so we have put her into a drug induce coma on ICU and she has been monitored very half an hour. Don't panic sweetie she is in the best place"

"No... NO...NOT MY GRANDMOTHER, YOUR LYING" Maddie screamed before she began to sob.

"It's all my fault, if she hadn't of stopped the car because of me and just carried on driving we wouldn't be here"

"It's not your fault at all Maddie, don't you dare blame yourself," Nurse Miller said moving close to Maddie and placing her hand on top of Maddie's.

"I have one more thing to tell you Maddie. I am sorry to tell you but I think you should know. The reason your grandmother is in this serious condition is because she wasn't wearing her seat belt and your Car hit a tree with full force sending her flying on to the bonnet of your car" Maddie didn't say anything she just frowned trying to remember what happened last night as she tried to take in the devastating news. Nurse Miller decided to let Maddie have a few minutes alone to herself so she left Maddie's cubical and pulled the curtain across giving Maddie that much needed privacy. Once the curtain was pulled across Maddie cried for herself she cried for her grandmother and she cried knowing she should have told her to put her seatbelt back on and she wouldn't be laying there having a machine breathing for her.

_**It was suppose to be a beautiful day but then it soon changed...not just everything had changed but the people had changed too. While the accident had taken place, each of them had learned something about friendship and love and some learned the hardest lesson of all...that life is always fragile, and very often unfair.**_


	3. Chapter 3

A/N : Thank you very much for the reviews they made my day :-). I hope you will like this chapter and It will get better I promise.

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Maddie never slept that night she just tossed and turned all night as she thought about her grandmother and how close she was to losing her completely but was thankful that she was not taken away from her but, she knew her life was now going to change from this moment onwards.

"Morning sweetie" Nurse Miller said smiling at Maddie as she walked into the room and pulling back the curtains and opening the blinds letting the sun shine through but Maddie just turned her head away from the sun and let tears slip down her bruised cheeks.

"Come on sweetie, everything will be alright, how about we get you moving as all our scans came back clear" Nurse Miller said walking over to Maddie's bed and pulling back sliding tray and pulling back the covers.

"No, I don't feeling like it" Maddie said turning her head away from the nurse.

"It will do you good and once you are up and about I will take you to see your grandmother" Maddie turned her attention back Nurse Miller.

"Really, if get out of bed I can see my grandmother?"

"Yes, come Princess"

"Ok" Maddie moved slowly, swung her feet out of bed, and placed her feet on the floor making herself sit up.

"Here sweetie give me your hands and I will gently help you up, take your time and don't rush" Maddie held out her hand which the nurse took and together they helped Maddie up on to her feet. Maddie was slightly shaky on her feet but soon that stopped when she stood for a few minutes.

"Good job sweet, how about we get you moving slowly" Maddie nodded and even smiled for the first time since the accident.

"Ok" together Maddie and Nurse Miller slowly walked round the room and ventured outside in the hall and over to the nurses' station and then back into her room.

"How about you try it on your own?" Nurse Miller asked knowing that Maddie could do it.

"Ok" Maddie slowly let go of the nurses hands and took a few steps around the room on her own.

"Good job, I think deserved to see your grandmother. I will be right back"Nurse Miller walked out back into the hall way and was back moments later with a wheel chair for Maddie to sit in.

"Come on sweet, let's go and see your grandmother" Maddie got into the wheels chair and Nurse Miller placed a blanket around Maddie to keep her warm.

They left the Maddie's room and wheeled down the hall way and passed the nurses' station and waited at the elevator.

"She will know I am there won't she?" Maddie asked her voice clearly shaking with worry.

"Oh of course she will Maddie, One thing I don't want you to be afraid when you walk in because she will wired up to machines which are helping her at the moment until she can do it on her own, ok?"

"Ok" Maddie was nervous seeing her grandmother in such a vulnerable state because as long as Maddie had known her grandmother she had always been strong and not afraid of anything and took on any challenge that was thrown at her.

"Here, we go not long now" nurse Miller said wheeling Maddie into the elevator. The doors closed and the lift started moving upwards until it dinged and they wheeled out along another long never-ending corridor.

"Here we are sweet" they wheeled through double doors and there she was hooked up to several machines, she had wires going in and wires coming out.

Maddie could not believe her eyes as they wondered from head to toe over her grandmother's bruised body.

"She looks horrible and nothing like my grandmother, can we go I don't want to be here" Maddie turned her head away and Nurse Miller bent down to Maddie's level and placed her hands on Maddie's knees.

"She is still the same person inside and that same very person raised you and needs you. I will leave you alone for a few minutes and you will feel better talking to her" Maddie nodded and Nurse Miller got and wheeled Maddie closer.

"If you need me I will be just outside"

"Ok and thank you" Maddie smiled at Nurse Miller who smiled back and walked out leaving Maddie and her grandmother alone.

"I'm sorry, this is all my fault I mean if I hadn't of made a scene about wanting to see mom then, none of this wouldn't have happened and we would be here and you wouldn't be hurt"

"I hope you can hear me when I say I love you and please don't leave me I need you" Maddie whispered.

Maddie looked at her grandmother for a few minutes before she reached out and touched her already bruised hand.

"You know , I have a great nurse called Nurse Miller and she was the reason I am here now ... oh I nearly forgot I walked today all by myself and all my scans came back clear which is good isn't it?"

Maddie sat silently for a few minutes before she next spoke.

"I better go and I promise I will come back again soon and I love you and remember what I said about not leaving me. Nurse Miller" Maddie said goodbye to her grandmother and Nurse Miller walked into the room and wheeled Maddie back to her room.

"Thank you for letting me see her and your right I needed to see her even thought machines were helping her breath"

"Aww you are very welcome sweetie, come on let's get you into bed as you have had a busy day and worked hard today"

**A week later**

Maddie had visited her grandmother everyday and continued her physio therapy until she no longer needed it .Maddie was now mentally and physically stronger , Maddie was now fully on the mend but the only thing is she had nowhere else to go or anyone else to look after her.

"Maddie, are you sure don't have any family? or anyone that you can stay with until your grandmother recovers?" Nurse Miller asked holding Maddie's discharge forms.

"I don't have anyone; honestly it's just me and gran"

"Hold on a second... Actually, under your grandmother's next of kin she has a Ms Joy Scroggs, so that must be your aunty?"

"No... She is my mother but she does not live here in England. She lives in America"

"Ok, right you stay here I am going to sort something out"

Half an hour later Nurse Miller came back carrying her clipboard close to her chest and sat down on the bed next to Maddie.

"Ok, I have your grandmothers will and have spoken to her lawyer and your grandmother states clearly that she wishes for you to go and live with your mother if anything ever happened to her and well seeing that it is her wish and your are underage and she is your legal guardian, you will have even thought you don't want to"

"I'm sorry, Petal but you have to go, social services will help you pack and put you on the plane and they will arrange for a car to meet you at the airport and take you to your mother"

"Please don't make me go, can't I stay here my grandmother" Nurse Miller shook her head.

"No Please, I want to stay with my grandmother" Maddie began to sob as he world she once knew came crashing down.

"When do I have to go?"

"Later on today a social worker will come around and take you home to pack and once you are packed they will take you to the airport and you know the rest"

"Fine, whatever I don't care anymore I'm already in Hell , what more could happen to me?" Maddie sighed and looked down at the floor.


	4. Chapter 4

Maddie sighed quietly to herself when Nurse Miller left with the clipboard that now held her fate. Maddie sat quietly for a few minutes and then decided to get up and walk over to the Nurses station where she found Nurse Miller sitting at the desk filing paper work.

"Is it alright if I sit with my grandmother? Seeing as I am not going to see her for a while?"

"Of course you can pumpkin, you know where to go?" Maddie nodded and smiled at Nurse Miller before she walked over to the elevator and pushed the button and waited patiently for the elevator. Minutes later Maddie was in the elevator waiting for it to get to level 2.

The elevator dinged indicating that it was on level two so; Maddie got out and walked along that quiet and spooky corridor as she walked to her grandmother's room. Maddie stood in the door way and looked at her grandmother as she laid there still and lifeless as machines helped her breath and those wires everywhere with the dried blood on her grandmothers wrist where they tried to get the line in her hand.

Maddie walked closer, took a seat next to her grandmother, took her hand in her own, and felt the tears fall down her cheeks.

"They are sending me to live with mom in America, I always wished I would live with mom and well now I have that chance I want to stay and not go. I do not want to leave you behind. It's always been me and you just us two and now it will be just you"

Maddie was waiting for her grandmother to answer her back but then she remembered where they were and why they were there in the first place and Maddie now held herself responsible.

"I wish I could hear your voice for the last time and I am going to call and check on you every day and I hope you remember how much I love you"

Maddie le the tears fall freely down her face, as she looked at her grandmother, the woman who brought her up and gave her everything she needed in life and now she needed Maddie but Maddie was now being taken away from her.

Maddie must have fallen asleep sitting next to her grandmother when she felt someone shake her awake.

"Maddie"

"uh huh" Maddie said slowly waking up , stretching and yawning and looked next to her was a complete stranger with Nurse Miller standing in the door way with a sad look on her face told Maddie that it was time.

"I'm Jackie, come on sweet let's get you home to your mom"

"No, I'm not going anywhere" Maddie said clinging on to her Grandmothers had tightly.

"Don't you want to see your mother?"

"No not really, my mother is this lady who right here that you are making me leave behind"

"Well I'm afraid Maddie you have no choice and your Grandmother wants what's only best for you"

"Well what's best for me is to stay here with my Grandmother"

"We don't have time for this sweetie," Jackie said biting her tongue to stop her from losing her temper with Maddie.

"I don't want to but, I have no choice so" Maddie shrugged and took one last look at her grandmother before she walked out of her room with a complete stranger who was now in charge of her until she got to America where she was under her mother's care.

"Thank you for looking after me" Maddie said rushing up to Nurse Miller and throwing her arms around her tight.

"Oh you are very welcome sweetie, I will check on your grandmother every day for you and I will talk to her and tell how much you miss her and love her alright?"

"Thank you she would like that"

"Ready to go then?" Jackie asked knowing Maddie's answer would be no.

"Not really but, I have to" they walked out of the hospital and over to Jackie's car where Maddie got into the passenger seat and closed the door.

The drive to Maddie's old home was rather quiet and Jackie did her best to create conversation but Maddie clearly did not want to talk and she totally understood. Maddie stared out through the window when a flash back came flooding back and Maddie blinked and the flash back was gone.

They pulled into the drive way and Maddie looked at her old house that she used to love and had many happy times there with her grandmother but now all she saw was hate and anger as she looked up at the house. Maddie opened the door of the car, slammed it shut, and ran up the steps and into the house. The smell of the house made Maddie burst into tear, ran up stairs to her bedroom, and slammed the door shut. Jackie walked into the house and saw the happiness in Maddie and Philippa's pictures and their love for each other was clearly visible. Jackie looked round the large house.

Maddie on the other hand stood in her room and looked round at everything knowing she was going to leave some of this behind. Maddie grabbed her suitcases and started shoving everything she could fit inside them all.

"Maddie, sweetie are you all packed" Jackie called up stairs.

"I will be there in the minute," Maddie yelled back.

The more that Maddie thought about it the more excited she was seeing her mother but, she still was angry at her mother for giving her to her grandmother all those years ago rather than look after her. Maddie shook the thoughts about her mother and filled those thoughts with hatred.

"I'm ready," Maddie, yelled trying to carry two bags down the steps.

Jackie rushed up the steps to help her, took the two bags down the steps, and put them into her car. They got the entire luggage into Jackie's car and head out on the road to the airport.

They arrived at the airport and checked Maddie in and they walked around duty-free and had a bite to eat because this was the only proper food that, Maddie would eat until she landed and was at her mother's house.

"So, are you excited to see your mother?" Jackie asked taking a bite of her lunch.

"No, not really to be honest" Maddie pushed the food around on her plate.

"Please eat some more sweetie, this will be the only proper food you will eat until you get to your mother's house" Maddie shrugged but took a small bite.

Finally, it was time for Maddie to board the plane, this was where Jackie said goodbye to Maddie, and Maddie thanked her for her help because deep down Maddie knew it was at all Jackie's fault and that she was actually trying to help her.

"Well this where we go our separate ways" Jackie hugged Maddie tight "Have a safe flight" Jackie let go and watched Maddie hand over her passport and ticket and then she disappeared to board the plane.

Maddie walked down the long hallway behind crowds of people waiting to board the plane. Maddie looked round at the people near her and the share smiles seeing that Maddie was alone. The queue soon dwindled down and Maddie was not embarking the plane where she was met with smiley, cheerful cabin crew in their crisp and clean uniform and their wings glistening in the light. A small blonde Cabin crew who smiled brightly at her and gesture for Maddie to follow her.

"Hi, Maddie?" the woman asked politely.

"Yeah I'm Maddie"

"Nice to meet you Maddie, I'm Hannah and I will be looking after you during the flight, I need to just pop this over your head just to show that you are travelling alone, is that alright?" Maddie nodded and Hannah placed the "unaccompanied Minor" sign around her neck and took Maddie to her seat which was right by the emergency exit with plenty of leg room for her.

"If you need anything I am here to help, so have you flown before?"

"Yeah I have flown before but just not alone"

"Aww bless your heart you will be fine, so have you got family in Cleveland then?"

"Yeah my mom Lives in Cleveland and I am on way to live with her and to be honest I don't want to go"

"You will be fine, your mom will be happy to see you I am sure"

"No, I don't think so; she doesn't know I am coming" Hannah was not sure what to say so she took this as her cue to leave.

"Well I better start doing some checks and I will come and check on you in a little while ok Maddie?" Maddie nodded and watched as Hannah left and started doing cabin checks.

"Welcome aboard this nonstop flight from London to Cleveland Ohio, the duration of this flight will be 8 hours , so on behalf of the captain and rest of the crew we wish you a pleasant flight so, sit back relax and enjoy the flight"


	5. Chapter 5

A/N : I am not very happy with this chapter so I might change it once I think something better but I hope that you like the story still and it will get interesting as it goes on.

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Maddie sat back in her seat as the plane was starting to taxi to the runway and Maddie felt the adrenaline kick in.

"Cabin crew seats for takeoff" the captain said over the intercom.

The next thing Maddie felt the pressure as the plane build up speed down the runway and started climbing. Minutes later the plane was in the air and Maddie looked out the window and said a quiet goodbye to London and her grandmother for good. Maddie started crying knowing that she would not be back anytime soon and she was now leaving her grandmother behind for good and this broke Maddie's heart.

As soon as the seat belt signs went off Hannah came over to see Maddie sitting in the corner looking down at England with tears pouring down her cheeks. Hannah sat next to Maddie and placed her arm round her and Maddie snuggled into Hannah and cried for everything she had lost.

"Shh it's alright," Hannah, said trying to sooth Maddie.

Maddie pulled away and started to wipe her eyes "I'm sorry about that" Maddie looked shyly up at Hannah who winked at her.

"It's quite alright sweetheart, how about I get you a drink?"

"I don't have any money?"

"Don't worry about that, it's on me" Hannah got up and walked in to the galley and came back minutes later Hannah came back with a small can of Pepsi and a packet of crisps.

"Here you go sweet; I got you some crisps too"

"Thank you, I can't take the crisps, you've done enough already"

"Don't be silly they are for you now, go on enjoy them" Hannah gave Maddie a wink and then left her alone to eat the crisps and drink.

Maddie opened the crisps and started munching on them and took a sip of drink and watched the on flight entertainment "Despicable me 2".

Maddie shut her eyes and drifted off to sleep for a couple of hours she was just exhausted and needed some rest. She dreamt of how her mother would react to seeing her for the first time in a very long time.

Hannah walked over to Maddie to check on her only to find her fast asleep with a smile on her face. Hannah bent over quietly taking the rubbish and putting it into the bin bag she was holding and then did the rest of the plane. Hannah walked back over to Maddie and placed a flight blanket over her to keep her warm.

The next thing Maddie knew she was being woken up By Hannah telling her that they were there and hand landed 10 minutes ago. Maddie stretched yawned and smile at Hannah "Thank you for looking after me"

"You are very welcome, your mother will love you and she will be happy to see you" Maddie wrapped her arms around Hannah before she left the plane and headed into baggage claim and passport control.

Maddie made it past passport control, had gotten all her bags, and was now heading to arrivals where she was met by a social worker who was driving her to her mother's house.

"Maddie Scroggs" a woman in her middle 40's asked holding up a banner with Maddie's name on it.

"Yeah I'm Maddie"

"This way darling come with me" the woman took control of the baggage trolley and they wheeled through to where she parked her big 4 by 4 car.

"I'm Karen and welcome to Ohio, have you been to America before Maddie?"

"No, this is my first time"

"You're going to love it here" Maddie did not know what to say back so she kept quiet.

"Why don't you go and sit in the car whilst I put the bags in the boot"

"Ok" Maddie got into the car, took the passenger seat, and waited for Karen to come back.

They hit the road, Maddie watched as everything flashed by, and Maddie felt the excitement and the adrenaline began to wash over her.

"So, where in England are you from?"

"London"

"I've never been to England, what's it like? I would like to go one day"

"Well I hope you like rain because it rains a lot but, it is a good place to live I suppose" Maddie shrugged.

"We are nearly there muffin"

Half an hour later, they pulled into the driveway of a rather large house "My mom, lives here?" Maddie could not believe the size of the house with a freshly mown lawn and the white picket fence that clearly had been painted recently.

"Here we are home sweet home" Karen got out of the car and started unloading the bags. Maddie got out of the car and slammed the door shut as she looked round at her new home and neighbourhood which was like a palace and everything thing in America was just so, big compared to London.

"Ready to go Maddie?" Maddie grabbed a suitcase and nodded as they started wheeling it to the front door.

"Ok babe, this is where I leave you now, I hope you enjoy it here in America the country and land of the free"

"Thank you, bye" Maddie waved goodbye to Karen and then turned her head to the front door and took a deep breath before she knocked on the door.

"You can do this, everything will be fine," Maddie told herself.

She knocked on the door and waited for a few minutes before it was opened and there was a small brown-haired woman with a friendly face smiling at Maddie.

"Hello, how can I help you?"

"I'm sorry to disturb you; I must have the wrong house"

"who are you looking for sweetie?"

"I'm actually looking for Joy Scroggs"

"Yes she lives here and who are you exactly?" Melanie looked the young girl over seeing that she clearly was only young and likely to be school age.

"I'm Maddie, I'm her daughter"

"You can't be, she doesn't have a daughter"

"Please I need to see her is she there?"

"No, she's out on a date and we are not sure when she will be back"

"That's typical mom, well Can I at least come in please?" Melanie nodded and opened the door wider for Maddie to enter.

"So you are really her daughter? She never mentioned a daughter to us the whole time we have known her," Melanie said.

"Yeah I really am her daughter; I guess she told you about my brother but just not me"

"Your mother told me about your brother but, she never said anything about having a daughter. You do look very much like your mother I have to say and you have that British accent too"

"Oh right" Maddie laughed nervously

"I'll give you a quick tour of the place, right this is the lounge and through here is the kitchen so, help yourself to anything to eat"

"Come on I'll show you to your room?"

"You believe me?" Melanie nodded

"Yeah I do because you sound and look so much like her" Melanie helped Maddie to carry her baggage upstairs and into her room so, she was next to Joy and on the other side she had Victoria.

"This is my room, this room is your mothers and this is your room and next to you is Victoria and we all have our own on suites by the way"

"Really wow , our own on suites" Melanie nodded

"Here we are Maddie was it?"

"Yeah it's Maddie"

"Look at me I am so rude. I am Melanie a good friend of your mothers and there is also Victoria and Elka the caretaker of this house. I will let you get unpacked and I am sure your mother will be home soon, would you like anything to eat or drink Maddie?"

"I would love a sandwich or something please and maybe a cola or whatever you have to drink"

"Sure come sweetie"

Melanie and Maddie went down stairs where Melanie made Maddie a sandwich "Melanie where are the glasses kept?"

"In the second cupboard on the right just by the sink" Melanie said cutting the sandwich up and placing it on a plate.

"Got them, thank you" Melanie handed Maddie the bottle of coca cola letting Maddie pouring her own drink.

"so, I hope you don't mind me asking but, why are you here now?"

"I used to live with my grandmother until we were both in a car accident and well she's still in hospital and mom was my next of kin so here I am"

"Oh I am so sorry, does your mother know your coming?, does she know about her mother being in hospital" Maddie shook her head and took a bit of the sandwich.

They walked into the lounge, sat down on the sofa, and carried on munching on the sandwich when the door opened and Joy walked in to the lounge and shut the door behind her.

"That has to be the best date ever," Joy, said boasting

"Joy we have company" Melanie said gesturing as discreetly as she could without making if obvious.

"Who's that?" Joy mouthed

"It's me, mom or shall I say Joy because I don't think I should call that, it's me Maddie. Or have you forgotten that you have a daughter? And of course you won't recognise me because you have never seen me since I was born"

"Maddie come on that's not fair, I have my reason why I did what I did back then" Joy moved slowly over to Maddie and went to reach out and touch her but Maddie shifted away.

"Don't touch me, yeah you have your reasons but, you could have at least come to see when you were ready and nothing was stopping you and well it's too late you lost me years ago" Maddie got up and stormed off upstairs


	6. Chapter 6

"Well its official my daughter hates me and I am a bad mother, I mean who can blame her hating me right?" Joy sighed weakly and Melanie put her arm round Joy and hugged her.

"I am sure Maddie will come around soon, it just might take a bit of time that's all" Joy smiled at her best friend feeling slightly better.

"Why didn't you tell us about Maddie?"Melanie asked tenderly

"I didn't tell anyone about Maddie because I was a bad enough mother to give Owen away and well I was a shamed when I gave Maddie over to my mother all those years go, I mean I only wanted Maddie to have a better life than what I can give her and look what happened. She hates me Mel" Joy let a few tears fall down her cheeks.

Maddie tip toed to the top of the stairs and sat down listening to her mother and Melanie talk and Maddie smiled knowing that she made her mother cry and she deserved it and there was more to come Maddie said to herself with a smile played upon her lips.

"She doesn't hate you, she's just angry and that will soon fade when she hits 20..." Joy gave Melanie a worried look.

"I'm kidding, in a few months time you will realise that you were worried about nothing"

"Look at me, crying about something that I should have told you ages ago"

"It's ok, honestly and you did only what you thought was best and that's what good parents do"

"Thank you, I think I'm going to bed" Joy and Melanie got up and Joy gave her friend a tight hug, then let go, and walked away.

Maddie quietly got up and crept over to her room, opened the door, and closed it quietly behind her.

"It will be ok I promise" Joy smiled and then headed upstairs hesitated whether she should go and check on Maddie but soon changed her mind and went into her bedroom and closed the door.

Once in room Joy got changed into her nightwear and dug her memories box and placed it on the bed and sat crossed legged on the bed and opened the box and pulled out a photo of her holding Maddie the day she was born with a smile on her face, Maddie was snuggled up to her fast a sleep .

Joy traced the outline of Maddie in the photo with her finger and smiled remembering how happy she was when Maddie came into the world and how she couldn't wait to give her daughter the life she never gave Owen but, she did was she always did and that was walk away when really Maddie needed her. Joy let eh tears slip down her cheeks, lifted the picture to her heart, and sobbed her heart out.

"I'm so sorry I let you down Maddie... I love you so much," Joy whispered.

That night Joy cried herself to sleep and Maddie laid in her bed hearing her mother crying in the room next door and Maddie felt band thought about getting up and comforting her mother but she changed her mind and just listened to her sobs of her mother.

The next morning Elka, Melanie were at the breakfast table when Maddie walked down the steps and in to the kitchen.

"Morning sweetie, how did you sleep?"

"Not very well someone was up all night crying so, I couldn't sleep" Melanie sighed knowing who it was up all night crying because she heard it too.

"Who's the mini prostitute? She looks like a mini Joy," Elka said bluntly

"That's because she's Joy's daughter Maddie," Melanie said and Elka just looked at Maddie and Maddie stared right back.

"You must be the old bag Melanie told me about who cleans up for us," Maddie said bluntly

"I don't like her, she's just like Joy"

"I don't like you either and stop saying that I am nothing like "her" "Maddie said defending herself.

"Boy what a night, I..." Victoria said only to stop seeing Maddie sitting at the table.

"I told you before Mel, please don't invite my fans or strays in unless they're cute"

"I am not a stray nor, am I a fan I mean who the hell are you anyway? I bet those are last night's clothes?" Maddie said looking Victoria up and down.

Boy you're good; I am the one and only Victoria Chase from edge of tomorrow"

"That means nothing to me; I mean I am from England, but Nice to meet you"

"Who are you anyway?"

"She's Joy's daughter Maddie, she arrived last night and will be staying with us for a while," Melanie said taking a sip of orange juice.

"Great just what we need another Joy with that annoying accent" Victoria said placing her head in her hands and giving her temples a rub.

"Morning"

"So, Joy you're a bit of a slut aren't you" Elka said smirking

"I don't know what you mean Old woman and anyway it's none of your business," Joy said looking at Maddie who looked away.

"So, Joy why did you keep this one a secret from us?" Victoria asked puzzled

"I just didn't want to ruin Maddie's life like I have Owens and I thought I was doing what was best for her and I told myself to keep it quiet because I didn't deserve to call her my daughter "

"Oh please" Maddie rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Well I better head to bed," Victoria said getting up.

"I'm just nipping to the grocery store, you coming Elka?"

"No I'm good right here"

"Elka" Melanie said raising her voice slightly and Elka sighed and got up from the table and gave mother and daughter once of her glares and then left.

"What the hell is her problem?" Maddie said shaking her head in bewilderment.

"Yeah she came be a cow but, you get to love her in away"

"Look I never got to say I'm sorry..."

"Whatever, I mean I already know that you didn't want me so you gave me away just like you did with Owen"

"Maddie, look I am sorry and I get that you are angry but, can we at least try to get on because we will be living under the same roof? And I do care about you and always have"

"Hell no, you don't care so don't try to make up for it now. Where were you when I needed you when I was ill or when I fell over and cut my leg or arm? You missed all my birthdays and you didn't even bother to send any birthday cards"

"That's not true Maddie, I sent a card every year and they were just sent back to me every time and it was then that I knew you had moved on and forgotten about me so, I did the same but that doesn't mean I didn't think about you every minute of everyday"

"Did you love me?" Maddie looked down at her hands.

"I still do love you and I know deep down in your heart you will forgive me for what I did to you and I am sorry I was never there when you needed me but, I am here now"

"You're already too late, I didn't need you then and I certainly don't need you now" Maddie got up and tucked her chair under the table and went to walk away but said one last thing.

"I need a school to go to and well I need you to arrange it because you are after all my new guardian on paper but on in real life" Joy nodded and Maddie walked away leaving joy in the kitchen alone with a broken heart.


End file.
